Friday 1 August 2014

Hurricane Sandy was the greatest Atlantic ocean




Hurricane Sandy was the greatest Atlantic ocean whirlwind on record the extent that size, furthermore the second costliest tropical storm in United States history. The eighteenth named storm, tenth hurricane, and second true ocean whirlwind of the 2012 Atlantic storm season, Sandy made from a tropical wave in the southwestern Caribbean Sea on October 22.

From the beginning a tropical despair, it headed southward and strengthened into Tropical Storm Sandy later that day. Starting there, Sandy re-twisted north-northeastward. Continuing uplifting, the storm was climbed to a hurricane on October 24. A couple of hours afterward, it made landfall close Kingston, Jamaica with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). Upon re-climbing into the Caribbean Sea, Sandy basically heightened, transforming into a Category 3 ocean whirlwind at an early stage October 25. Around that time, the storm made an exchange landfall close Santiago de Cuba, Cuba with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). The storm crippled to some degree over the island and was a Category 2 hurricane when it formed into the southwestern Atlantic Ocean on October 25. Later that day, Sandy curved north-northwestward and crossed through the Bahamas, passing between Long Island and Great Exuma. Quickly October 26, it moved between Cat Island and Eleuthera while incapacitating to a Category 1 storm. In the wake of moving go far from any binding impact Atlantic, Sandy immediately weakened to a hurricane on October 27, former re-strengthening into a typhoon later that day. Starting there, the storm began losing tropical characteristics, specifically the expanding wind field, which would later compass an estimation of 1,100 miles (1,800 km). On the other hand, in light of the fact that the storm crossed the Gulf Stream, it re-expanded while heading northeastward, rapidly transforming into a Category 2 on October 29. Turning northwestward, Sandy incapacitated again to a Category 1 storm following six hours, however the base barometric weight reduced to 940 mbar (28 inhg) around that time. Later on October 29, Sandy transitioned into an extratropical hurricane while spotted toward the ocean New Jersey, in the blink of an eye before moving inland close Brigantine.

In Jamaica, there was 1 setback and damage to an extraordinary numerous homes, realizing $100 million in adversities. Enormous impact happened in Cuba. In the domain of Santiago de Cuba alone, 132,733 homes were hurt, of which 15,322 were pummeled and 43,426 lost their top. The storm realized 11 passings and $2 billion in mischief in Cuba. It moreover made unlimited pounding in Haiti, where in overabundance of 27,000 homes were flooded, hurt, or obliterated, and 40% of the corn, beans, rice, banana, and coffee harvests were lost. The storm left $750 million in mischief, 54 passings, and 21 people missing. In the Southeastern United States, for instance, in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, impact was confined to blustery winds, light precipitation, and brutal surf. In the Northeastern United States, damage was most genuine in New Jersey and New York. Inside the past, 346,000 houses were hurt or destroyed, while very nearly 19,000 associations persisted through genuine incidents. In New York, a normal 305,000 homes were pulverized. Genuine beachfront flooding happened in New York City, with the hardest hit zones being New Dorp Beach, Red Hook, and Long Island City; eight poles of the tram structures were submerged. Generous snowfall was furthermore reported, topping at 36 inches (910 mm) in West Virginia. Moreover, the scraps of Sandy left 2 passings and $100 million in damage in Canada, with Ontario and Quebec being the most exceedingly abominable influenced. All in all, 286 fatalities were attributed to Sandy. The outerbands of Sandy influenced the island of Bermuda, with a tornado in Sandys Parish hurting a few homes and associations. Damages totaled $65 billion in the United States and $68 billion generally, making Sandy the second-costliest Atlantic storm in recorded history, behind simply Hurricane Katrina.


Wednesday 20 February 2013

Our thoughts are with those impacted by Hurricane Sandy



Sadly, not too long ago, we saw firsthand the devastating power of nature. When Duluth was overcome by unprecedented flooding, our hearts broke that zoo animals and pets lost their lives. People’s homes and the lives they knew were destroyed by the onslaught of rising waters.

As we watch the arrival of Hurricane Sandy, we are so concerned about the safety and well-being of the people and animals in this storm’s path. With 50-60 million people possibly affected by storm surges predicted at 4-11 feet, we can’t help but think about how many homeless animals and captive exotics might be affected, too.

We also worry about Bhutan, the snow leopard we offered a home to. He was recently relocated back to an East Coast zoo that happens to be in the eye of the storm. As we do for all the other animals and humans, we pray for his safety. Our thoughts are with the zoos and animal care facilities that can’t evacuate, who have to implement their disaster plans and try to survive whatever comes their way.

Friday 3 August 2012

Sandy's - Beginnings

In 1956, the four men set out to start one of the first McDonald's franchises outside the McDonald brothers' home state of California. Ray Kroc had just begun selling McDonald's franchises outside California, and the four friends partnered to buy the right to open McDonald’s restaurants in central Illinois. In June 1956, they opened their first restaurant in Urbana, Illinois, only the third McDonald’s restaurant to open outside California. The Urbana store proved popular with students, professionals, and young families at the University of Illinois. It did so well that the group decided to open additional stores in Decatur, and Peoria, Illinois.

However, Ray Kroc notified them that Peoria and Decatur were not included in the central Illinois territory, and furthermore that changes to the terms of the franchise meant they would owe a higher percentage of their profits to McDonald's. Having invested heavily in the Peoria location, including erecting the building, Lundberg and his partners decided instead to open their own restaurant, and settled on the name Sandy's. The chain adopted a Scottish-based theme to combat the Scottish-rooted McDonald's, even though the latter was not based on a cultural theme of any kind. Lundberg was named president.

Friday 19 August 2011

Aster (genus)

Aster (syn. Diplopappus Cass.) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. The genus once contained nearly 600 species in Eurasia and North America, but after morphologic and molecular research on the genus during the 1990s, it was decided that the North American species are better treated in a series of other related genera. After this split there are roughly 180 species within the genus, all but one being confined to Eurasia. The name Aster comes from the Ancient Greek word ἀστήρ (astér), meaning "star", referring to the shape of the flower head. Many species and a variety of hybrids and varieties are popular as garden plants because of their attractive and colourful flowers. Aster species are used as food plants by the larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species — see list of Lepidoptera that feed on Aster. Asters can grow in all hardiness zones.